Brendan Griffin (Kerry South, Fine Gael)
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Question 179: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if he will prioritise progress on a sewerage scheme (details supplied) in County Kerry; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3108/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012, a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure in County Kerry. The Programme includes contracts under construction and to commence to the value of over €92 million in Kerry during the period of the Programme. However, the Kilgarvan Sewerage Scheme was not amongst the priority contracts and schemes selected for inclusion in the current Programme.

The Programme aims to prioritise projects that target environmental compliance issues and support economic and employment growth. A key input to the development of the Programme was the assessment of needs prepared by local authorities, including Kerry County Council, in response to my Department's request to the authorities in 2009 to review and prioritise their proposals for new capital works in their areas. These were subsequently appraised in the Department in the context of the funds available and key criteria that complemented those used by the authorities. Inevitably, through this process, certain projects that had been proposed had to give way to others that were more strategically important at that time. Progress under the Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012 was reviewed in mid-2011 and through this process, consideration was given to any newly emerging priority contracts and schemes submitted by local authorities for addition to the Programme. No proposal for the Kilgarvan Sewerage Scheme was received from Kerry County Council in response to the review process.

Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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Question 181: To ask the Minister for the Environment, Community and Local Government if a contractor has been appointed for the construction of the Bandon main drainage scheme in County Cork; when he expects work to commence; the expected duration of the works; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [3145/12]

Phil Hogan (Carlow-Kilkenny, Fine Gael)
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The Water Services Investment Programme 2010 – 2012 a copy of which is available in the Oireachtas Library, provides for the development of a comprehensive range of new water services infrastructure in County Cork. The Programme includes contracts under construction and to commence to the value of some €231 million in the county during the period of the Programme.

Contracts for both a wastewater treatment plant upgrade and network for the Bandon Sewerage Scheme Phase 2 are included as contacts to start during the life of the Programme.

In October 2011 my Department approved the revised Design Brief submitted by Cork County Council for the appointment a Consultant to prepare a Preliminary Report for the upgrade of the Bandon Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The Council has recently completed the Tender Evaluation Process in relation to the network element of the scheme and has sought my Department's approval of the necessary funding to allow for award of the contract. A decision in the matter will be conveyed to the Council as soon as possible.